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United States Patent Office 3,316,862 FURNITURE ASSEMBLY Jelemma I. Dismulre, 315 S. Redford Ave., Evansville, Ind. 47713 Filed Sept. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 396,675 1 Claim. (Cl. 108-91) The present invention relates to a furniture assembly, and more particularly to new and novel arrangements of furniture whereby finished units may be progressively and selectively erected from basic components.

As is known, the cost of furnishing a home is rapidly increasing, and, oftentimes, furniture is purchased which at the time does not have full utility or which, subsequently, becomes inadequate because of needs and spacing requirements. Accordingly, the furniture purchaser is of necessity forced to select certain standardized units which may become relatively valueless as further furnishings are produced. Moreover, furniture purchasing of this type does not include the desired flexibility insofar as individual wants and interests are concerned.

Accordingly, by virtue of the instant invention, the applicant herein has provided for a new and novel furniture assembly whereby case goods are selectively erected, on a segmental basis, in accordance with the purchasers needs, space requirements, and economic situation. In accordance with the teachings of the invention at hand, the consumer may buy a basic unit, as, for example, the base of a chest, which, originally, may serve as a low unit storage cabinet, and, as time progresses, add individual units thereto to make an over-all storage unit of any desired height and styling requirements. The individual segmental components are assembled together, when desired, in a simple, yet positive and effective arrangement, where a blending thereof is achieved to provide excellent appearance and functionality to the finalized units.

Moreover, and further in this connection, the applicant herein has provided a bed structure which may readily lend itself to use as either an adult bed or a crib for a child. In other words, again with a basic and yet commonly known unit, several-fold functions are provided with a minimum of user effort and, as well, with pleasing finished results.

Additionally, and realizing the oftentimes minimal space requirements found in many present-day homes, the applicant has provided a new and novel childs crib arrangement, whereby multiple cribs are available through a highly practical structure which utilizes a relatively small area of floor space.

All of the preceding embodiments of the invention at hand are accomplished through effective and positive assembly procedures, alfording maximum utilization, space and utility-wise, as Wants become evident. The applicants new and novel invention has inherent manufacturing economies, which, in turn, are representative of savings to the ultimate purchaser.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to provide new and novel segmental furniture which is readily assembled, as desired, in accordance with the consumers needs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel furniture assembly based on individual add-on components which are readily assembled to achieve a variety of finalized units.

A further object of the present invention is to provide for readily convertible furniture, as well as for furniture having high consumer utility representative of a minimal of floor space requirements.

A still further and more general object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel furniture assembly which through the use of segmental components may 3,316,862 Patented May 2, 1967 be readily combined, both with ease to the consumer and in positive assembled relationship; which combines flexibility with utility so that the immediate and subsequent wants and needs of the purchaser are readily satisfied; and, which is representative of economies in manufacturing, and, therefore, in ultimate cost.

Other objects and a better understanding of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a view in both front elevation and vertical section of an article of furniture assembled in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention, taken at line 11 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, furniture article of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of assembly particulars employed in the article of furniture of FIG. 1, taken at line 33 of such figure and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a front view, partly in section, of one of the segmental components defining the finished furniture unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view in both front elevation and vertical section of another article of furniture assembled in accordance with further teachings of the applicants new and novel invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical section, taken at line 6-6 of FIG. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing certain structural details of the furniture assembly of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view in side elevation, partly in vertical partly broken away, of the section, showing still another segmental furniture assembly in accordance with the applicants new and novel invention;

FIG. 8 is a view in end elevation, also showing some areas in vertical section, of the segmental furniture assembly of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view in side elevation of the furniture assembly of FIGS. 7 and 8, after conversion to another form of segmental unit;

FIG. 10 is a view in end elevation, also partly in vertical section, of the invention embodiment of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view in end elevation of another embodiment of the instant new and novel furniture assembly invention, with certain phantom lines added;

FIG. 12 is a view in vertical section, also partly in phantom lines, showing details of the embodiment of invention of FIG. 11, taken at line 12-12 of FIG. 13 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and,

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the furniture assembly embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12,.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, one embodiment of the applicants new and novel furniture assembly 10 typically comprises a base unit 12 defined by side mem bers 12a and 12b, a back member 120, and top and bottom members 12d and 122, respectively. The side members 12a and 1212 include supports in the form of extending ornamental legs 12a and 12b. It should be understood that the base unit 12 may serve as a storage area,

with suitable doors or like entry means secured thereto (not shown) or, in the alternative, may receive a drawer (also not shown).

In any event, the side members 12a and 12b each have a slotted portion 12a" and 12b" therein, each being adapted to receive a correspondingly shaped depending portion 14a and 14b on side members 14a and 14b, respectively, of another unit 14 which may be positioned on the base unit 12. As a matter of selective assembly, before the unit 14 is disposed on the base unit 12, and if desired, a top unit 20 may be utilized (see FIGS. 1 and 3). In other Words, the top unit 20 also has downwardly depending portions 20a (where only one of such portions is disclosed in the drawing) which are adapted to be received in the slotted portions 12a" and 12b" in the side members 12a and 12b, respectively, of the base unit 12, or in any of the other individual units which may be positioned on and over the base unit 12.

In this regard, the finalized furniture assembly may comprise any number of individual segmental sections 12, 14, 16 and 18, one mounted on the other to the desired height, where ultimate finishing is secured through the use of the top unit 20. Each of the aforesaid individual segmental sections comprises side members, a top members, a back member, and perhaps a front entry means, where such side members each have depending portions as well as slotted portions, the latter serving for positive assembly, and where all of such components are identified in the drawing by reference numerals corresponding to those of FIG. 4. a With the preceding structural relationship, the units 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 are conveniently stacked, where each unit may serve any desired utilitarian purpose, as, for example, for storage, in the form of either closed or open shelving, or a drawer receiving space. In any event, a great deal of flexibility is achieved, where the various units are conveniently added by the purchaser, as desired, as economics and space may dictate.

FIGS. and 6 show another form of segmental assembly 20, in this instance comprising separate units 24, 26, 28 and 30 having slidable drawers 24a, 26a, 28a and 30a, respectively, disposed therewithin. Typically, in this ence numeral 22, is provided, being defined by side members 2211 (only one of which is shown), a front member 22b and a back member (not shown). The side members 22a position a supporting frame 22c having recesses 22:: disposed therein. The base unit 22 is adapted to receive, in consecutive order, the other units 24, 26, 28

and 38, each comprising side members 24b, 26b, 28b and 30b, a bottom member 240, 26c, 28c and 360, legs 24d, 26d, 28d and 36d depending from each of such bottom members, and supporting frames 24c, 26c, 28:2 and 306 positioned on each of said side members 24b, 26b, 28b and 30b, such supporting frames each having recesses 24 26f, 28 and 30 therein. Although only two are shown in the drawing, the units may each have a back member, such as 28g and 30g. The overall furniture assembly is completed through a top member 32 having downwardly depending legs 32a.

In use, the base unit 22 is purchased, and, thereafter, one or more of the other units 24, 26, 28 and 30. The depending legs of each of the units above the base unit 22 are readily received in the recesses in the supporting frames of the unit disposed therebeneath, where the legs of the top member 32a are received in the supporting frames of the separate unit which serves uppermost of the finalized assembly, where, in FIG. 5, unit 30 would receive legs 32a in the recesses 30] in the support frames 30: thereof. In other words, and as with the embodiment of FIGS. l'to 4, inclusive, the ultimate consumer may arrange the furniture article, as desired, making it as high as desired, depending upon his particular needs, as well as space and economic requirements.

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and are directed to another embodiform of the invention, a base unit, identified by the referment of the present invention wherein a basic bed is adapted to have a multi-purpose, i.e. may be readily converted from an ordinary adult sleeping bed to a crib for an infant. In this regard, and considering first FIGS. 9 and 10, the basic bed 50, being conventional in form, includes a headboard 51, a footboard 52, and side frames 53 and 54, where the latter, together with cross members 55, position the commonly known box spring, mattress and pillow, shown in phantom lines in FIG. 9. As should be evident from FIG. 10, both the headboard 51 and the footbcard 52 of the bed have removable decorative knobs 56 thereon received in recesses 51a and 52a, respectively.

In order to convert the bed of FIGS. 9 and 10 to a crib, reference is now made to FIGS. 7 and 8 where the decorative knobs 56 are removed from both the headboard 51 and the footboard 52, and head and foot portions 61 and 62, respectively, substituted in the recesses 51a and 52a. In this regard, the head and foot portions 61 and 62, respectively, may assume any desired appearance, where, however, for purposes of illustration, the drawing shows such portions as correspondingly shaped to the top edges of the headboard 51 and the footboard 62.

The head portion 61 and the foot portion 62 each include openings 61a and 6201, respectively, therein, where the headboard 51 and footboard 52 each further include outwardly extending flange members 51b and 52b, respectively, thereon. The openings 61a and 62a, and the flange members 51b and 52b are employed in the assembly of the crib, i.e. receive and support mounting elements 65 which define ends of each side of the crib.

In this latter regard, the crib sides 70 each typically comprise hinge sections 70a and 70b, terminating in end members 700 which are secured to the mounting elements 65, where the latter respectively extend into the openings 61a and 62a and through the flange members 51b and 52b. The crib sides 70 are vertically slidable on the mounting elements 65, and, while not shown in the figures, means may be provided, if desired, for locking same at various height positions.

It should be apparent from the invention embodiment of FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10, that a bed made in accordance 'with the instant invention is readily convertible from adult to infant sleeping, and conversely. The finished structure is aesthetically appealing, while at the same time, is strong, and permits the desired converting with a minimum of effort on the part of the user.

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are directed to another embodiment of the applicants new and novel invention where in a multiple lazy Susan type of cradle arrangement is disclosed. More specifically, in a typical form, the structure comprises side support members a and 8% having a base 80c extending therebetween. Side members 81 and 82, preferably circular in shape, are rotatably secured to the side members 80a and 80b through an axle assembly 84.

A series of cradles 90, two of which are shown in solid lines and two of which are shown in phantom lines in the figures, typically make up the crib assembly, each being pivotally mounted, at 80a, between the side members 80a and 80b. In other words, in use, with the rotation of the side members 80a and 8%, the cradles also rotate, where, being pivotally mounted, are safely maintained in a desired horizontal position.

It should be apparent from the preceding description that the applicant herein has provided various new and novel invention forms susceptible to selective customtype assembly and/or for different purposes. As discussed, various finished units may be achieved, or an existing unit modified for another purpose, with a minimum of effort on the part of the user. In any event, the furniture assemblies described hereabove, are susceptible to various changes within the spirit of the invention. For example, dimensioning and/ or proportions may be varied, and other mounting and interlocking arrangements emplayed, all with equally effective end results. In this latter connection, the recesses may be in the upper segmental section, while the lower segmental section would carry the depending portions. Thus, the preceding description should be considered illustrative and not as limiting the .scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A furniture assembly comprising a base unit having a supporting frame, at least one recessed portion disposed in said supporting frame of said base unit, a plurality of separable sections disposed in stacked relationship on said base unit, each of said separable sections having a Supporting frame with at least one recessed portion therein, each of said separable sections having at least one integral downwardly depending portion extending from and along a side wall thereof adapted to be received in said at least one recessed portion in an adjoining section, and a fiat top member having at least one downwardly depending portion proximate to and along a side thereof adapted to be received in said at least one recessed portion in an adjoining section.

1,321,097 11/1919 Gonzales 312-108 X 1,867,145 7/1932 Godfrey 211164 1,893,552 1/1933 King 312195 1,974,272 9/1934 Heineman 211-164 X 2,412,005 12/ 1946 Parsons 593 2,432,379 12/ 1947 Butler 52 2,677,832 5/ 1954- Christensen 5-93 2,754,524 7/1956 Densmore 5-2 2,778,034 1/1957 Smith 5-2 2,783,477 3/1957 Tittsworth 5-2 2,924,830 2/ 1960 DeLong 5-8 3,055,510 9/1962 Coates 211-164 FOREIGN PATENTS 639,573 6/1950 Great Britain.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner. R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner. 

